Ron Howard has revealed how impressed he was by Jay Z's "vision" when he worked with him on documentary Made In America.

The 59-year-old award-winning director followed the rapper while he organised the Budweiser Made In America music festival, for his first-ever documentary film as a director.

Ron confessed: "I certainly really respected Jay Z. He was so busy because he was covering this festival that he really did run. So I had some interviews with him and I was surprised by the depth and the vision, the big vision, not just for the moment, but for the future."

The former Happy Days star revealed he learned a lot from making the documentary.

He explained: "I'm at point in my life where a movie like Rush and Made In America are actually related, because they're both really a reflection of me wanting to experiment, wanting to follow my curiosity as a filmmaker and throw myself into situations that are outside of my depth, a little unpredictable for me, and see if I can learn form them. Both very positive."

Ron revealed: "Chris won the role through his audition, certainly he had the look and charisma to match James Hunt, but I couldn't be sure at the time about Chris' range as an actor. But he convinced us all with his audition.

"And having worked with him I'm actually getting ready to work on a movie that's just as dramatic and just as powerful, with Chris Hemsworth. I believe in him so much as a dramatic actor."

Ron will direct Chris again in In The Heart Of The Sea, about a whaling ship stranded at sea when it is struck by a whale.